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CNSC hosts international mission as part of its commitment to nuclear safety and regulatory excellence

News release

Today marks the first day of the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission to Canada, hosted by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). Coordinated through the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), an IRRS mission offers a unique opportunity for the CNSC to assess its regulatory activities and infrastructure against international standards and best practices. The mission will run from September 3 to 13, 2019.

September 3, 2019 – Ottawa

Today marks the first day of the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission to Canada, hosted by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). Coordinated through the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), an IRRS mission offers a unique opportunity for the CNSC to assess its regulatory activities and infrastructure against international standards and best practices. The mission will run from September 3 to 13, 2019.

The IRRS mission team is comprised of 24 senior nuclear regulators from 17 different countries. The mission’s purpose is to review aspects of the CNSC’s regulatory system, and identify best practices, as well as recommendations for improvement.

During the 10-day mission, the team will be conducting interviews with CNSC staff, reviewing existing policies and procedures, and visiting a number of CNSC-licensed facilities, including the Bruce nuclear Generating Stations and Chalk River Laboratories.

“The CNSC is committed to regulatory excellence in the nuclear sector, and we recognize the importance of international peer reviews in ensuring the continuous improvement of nuclear safety in Canada,” said Rumina Velshi, CNSC President. “We look forward to receiving the findings of the IRRS mission team.”

The IRRS team will produce a final mission report in early 2020, and it will be posted publicly on the CNSC website.

Quick facts

This is the second full IRRS mission for the CNSC; a previous mission was conducted in 2009.

The IRRS approach is based on a self-assessment and is designed to support continuous improvement.

IRRS mission team members are experts in their fields and are recruited from IAEA Member States.